


Fate and her Games

by LunaBeth



Series: Tales of Fire & Water [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, Realistic, Siege of the North, but it doesn't love him, cave tales, or he tries, semi canon, sokka loves love, sokkas the hero today, went down a little differently, zukka - Freeform, zukka angst style, zuko just wants his honor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:07:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25545628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaBeth/pseuds/LunaBeth
Summary: Sokka takes a chance on everyone and loses. Zuko feeds his favorite prisoner. Also, icy deserts are a 0/10.This is the retold story of how the Siege of the North truly went down.
Relationships: Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Tales of Fire & Water [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1844374
Comments: 9
Kudos: 153





	Fate and her Games

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, a longer one! hiiii
> 
> (i don’t own any atla characters)

Sokka rubbed at his eyelids and ran a hand through his loose hair. 

He smiled, remembering where they were. They had just arrived at the North Pole yesterday and though he hadn't been on the road for that much time, he forgot how cold some parts of the world could get. It was just like home but a whole lot fancier(what with the ice castles y’know). And the _food._

Not only that. Sokka came across the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen and she happened to be the princess. Princess Yue. He was lucky enough to talk to her, even after he was caught gobbling food into his mouth as she took a seat beside him during dinner.

Everything was coming into place. Aang and Katara would master waterbending and Sokka will finally get some time to relax, maybe get to know some people. A certain princess. Maybe.

Yeah. He had a good feeling about this place.

~

Zuko knew Uncle Iroh played one of the biggest factors in his survival.

It was after their ship was blown up (conveniently, the same night Zhao took his crew) that Zuko realized he _was_ loved.

He had found his Uncle, back from his nightly walk, where the remains of their ship lay scattered and charred to a crisp. 

Zuko was unsure how he survived the explosion but concluded it was his firebending. He didn’t just bend fire, he _was_ fire.

He was soaking wet from swimming out of the dock when he noticed a figure on the sand, holding a scorched piece of metal to their chest. It was pretty dark.

Then, a soft crooning mixed with choked sobs.

“Uncle?”

“ _Zuko!_ ”

In seconds, he was caught in the tightest embrace. He’s never been one to hug but on this day, he hugged back with a fervor that surprised even himself.

Zuko didn’t know it then. But that fervor was love. 

And yes, he was capable of it.

~

So fate loved to play games. 

Sokka didn’t know if what he felt for her was love because it was only a few days but he knew it was something.

He thought it’d be easier but who was he kidding? The first time they met to ‘do an activity together’ Yue saw the fish he carved for her and proceeded to crush his heart.

_“I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have asked you to come here.” she said anxiously and ran away._

_Sokka’s stomach dropped and the fish suddenly looked like the stupidest thing in the world. No, his eyes weren't watery when he flung it over the bridge, not in the slightest._

At first, he was convinced it was because of where he stood in her eyes. 

After Katara dueled Master Pakku and confronted him, Princess Yue ran in tears after hearing the tragic tale of Pakku and their gram gram.

He went after her and found her on the bridge. The same one they had met originally.

_“What do you want from me?”_

_“Nothing. I just want you to know I think you’re beautiful and I never thought a girl like you would even notice a guy like me.”_

_“You don’t understand.” she said through tears._

_“No, no. See, that’s the thing. I think I do understand. You’re a princess, and I’m… I’m just a southern peasant.”_

_“No, Sokka.”_

_“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. I’ll see you around, okay.”_

_When he turned away, she pulled him in and kissed him with more passion than he'd ever felt or knew he could feel._

_“Okay, now I’m really confused. Happy, but confused.”_

_“I do like you - a lot! But we can’t be together. And not for the reason you think.” she said with pained eyes._

Princess Yue was betrothed and though she didn’t love him, she loved her people.

This made absolutely no sense to Sokka but like he said, fate loved to play games. Well, he could play, too.

The next two days were beautiful. She had told him they could be friends so he would be the best friend she’s ever had. He spent his days looking at her and when he couldn’t, he thought about her. She sneaked up on him yesterday and it ended up in them going for a walk.

Sokka knew it was wrong but it didn’t feel wrong. It only felt wrong in a way because she was clearly very conflicted. So, he pulled out his secret weapon. Something he knew would make her happy.

A ride on Appa. 

She was definitely amazed once they were soaring.

Then, fate and her games.

“Soot.” Sokka asserted. He landed Appa once he saw the black snow floating through the air. “It’s the Fire Nation. They’re coming.”

They rushed back, landing Appa and making their way to find Aang and Katara.

But not before Princess Yue stopped in her tracks to tell him it was over. Again.

“I wish we could just be friends but I like you too much and it’s too confusing to be around you. I’m marrying someone else.”

“You don’t love him, do you? You don’t even seem to like him.”

“But I do love my people.”

“You’re not marrying _them_.”

“You don’t understand. I have duties to my father, to my tribe. I have to do this. Goodbye.” she said, rushing off and stepping on his heart once more.

So there he was, staring at the black snow dance in the air before him, mocking him.

~

Infiltrating himself as a guard on Zhao’s commanding ship was one of the most ridiculous things he’s done in a while. Ridiculous, but necessary.

There is only so much you can do when your ship is blown to pieces. Surprisingly, Uncle Iroh welcomed his plan, even tweaking it to perfection. Iroh ‘joined’ Zhao’s crew and kept Zuko close. Honor rested on him capturing the Avatar, there was no stopping now.

“Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there!” 

Zuko saw the pain in his Uncle’s eyes. It was time for fate to unfold. Their expedition was just about over. Zhao’s forces had reached the North Pole and already went forward with their attack. The sun was down and under Iroh’s advice, Zhao held his fire due to the moon’s unwavering power it supplied waterbenders, which meant for Zuko, it was time.

“I’ll be fine.” He reassured him. It was about time to get off this rotten ship. He was tired of hiding. It was time for action.

Swimming was the hard part. As for finding the Avatar, that was all instinct. And as fate would have it, Zuko came upon him at his most vulnerable; in a spiritual state that separated him from his body.

He expected a fight and there it was in the form of the Water Tribe girl. Katara. He remembered her name. 

She was stronger than before but once the sun rose it was over.

It only took a second to unfreeze himself and bring her down with a few fire strikes, the last one he made sure had an extra kick.

“You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun.”

Katara looked up at him, wearily, yet, still with plenty of hate. She spat at him, knowing it’d be minutes before she’d be able to get up. That last flame was a big one.

“You’re pathetic.” Zuko narrowed his eyes, “Just like your brother.”

She blew a strand of hair out from in front of her eyes with a huff of her breath, “You’re lucky he was the one that spotted you struggling in Roku’s temple. If it had been me, I would have stood and watched the pillar crush you with ease.”

Zuko swallowed, “Well, luckily, he’s weak.” 

There was no time to waste. He grabbed Aang, slung him over his back and started running.

He won. He finally won. It just had to be during the worst blizzard, in the iciest terrain.

Zuko found the mountains he was looking for quickly. Feeling far enough, he allowed himself to slow down, consequently waking his brain up. Zuko heard Katara’s words replay in his mind. He did remember the moment. He had even dreamt about it, strangely. Roku’s temple was collapsing and the way they chained him left him without room to budge even a finger. He was scared and angry and quickly realizing he was about to die. Then, a figure was standing over him. Water tribe boy. Sokka. Blue eyes. His mind was racing and he heard himself rambling about Iroh and his father. Then Zuko’s arms were free. He gasped life in and ran, blasting himself out of there. He didn’t think twice about it. Until the dream. Why _did_ Sokka save him?

Carrying the unconscious boy was easy at first. He made his way through the back mountains. Miles in the snow carrying a seventy pound twelve year old did wonders for his back. He felt his energy gradually fading; this weather was no good for any firebender.

A moment of eerie silence and suddenly the icy turf cracked under him, sparking hot panic through his veins. It took all of everything he had left inside him to leap out to the side.

Thankfully, once he made sure the Avatar was still unconscious, he looked up and spotted a glimmer of hope. A small cave engulfed in snow. 

“Shelter.” he sighed, dragging Aang by his clothes. Zuko decided it was time to rest.

~

The Northern Water tribe had only less than 24 hours to prepare their best for the Fire Nation’s attack. Everything happened so fast. Aang decided to get a head start and destroy as many ships as he could. Turns out, there happened to be way more of them than originally estimated. That’s when Aang started freaking out and Princess Yue introduced him to the center of all spiritual energy in the North Pole, leaving Katara and Aang to find the door to the spirit world. It just didn’t make sense how everything got away from him. The tribe was up most of the afternoon and night training, learning as much as they could absorb in a matter of hours. Next, he went to check on his sister and -

“Katara!” he yelled. He ran to her side and noticed she wasn’t completely unconscious. Her eyes were slightly open.

“Sokka.” she said and tried to move a little, causing her to scream in pain. She looked down to her abdomen, seeing a large burn hole in her clothes, marking her skin.

“Sokka, he took him. Zuko took him. He took Aang while he was in the spiritual world, I think he’s still in it.”

His mind raced. “ _He_ did this to you?” he demanded, looking at his sister’s wound.

“You need to take Appa and go find Aang. Now!” she yelled as best she could but it sounded more like a rugged cry.

“What about you?” he asked.

“I’m fine. I know how to get out of here. I’ll find help. Sokka, please.”

“Okay, okay.” he agreed. “Do you need help getting up?”

“No. I need a second. I’ll get up right now in a few seconds; just, please, go. Before they’re too far to find.”

He nodded, running to get Appa as fast as he could. 

It was not a good feeling leaving Katara lying there. But he trusted her and he almost always listened.

Following her directions, basically just the direction Zuko ran in, Sokka was flying over icy desert. How he was supposed to find Aang in a place like this was beyond him. 

Until he saw something funny. Something bright, sparking through the air in a distance. 

Flying in closer, he prayed the clouds would conceal Appa enough to get him close.

He saw broken ice, eyeing the glimmer of deadly freezing water underneath it as Appa flew closer in. Someone was treading here and came across thin ice.

Sokka scanned around again, this time spotting a hole, a cave embraced in thick layers of snow.

Hey. Caves don’t usually glow with golden light.

He had to play this smart. Unsure if he’d been spotted, he steered Appa around to the back of the cave and brought him down.

The unbelievable circumstances, he thought, hopping off Appa and patting his side. “Thank you, buddy.”

Sokka had fully intended to participate in the action today but fate found him saving Aang. Hopefully, if he could pull it off.

Zuko was a completely other matter. It had been a while since they saw each other but the deep-seated anger he’s grown for him is still burning strong. 

It was ridiculous to even think Sokka felt bad for him at one point, remembering how weirdly sorry he felt listening to Zhao chew him out, figuring out he was the hated prince. The thought that maybe Zuko just needed someone to show him that love and care were real things made Sokka laugh now. He loved a good joke.

Sokka figured he broke him out of those chains because hope was a real thing. And everyone deserves to have it. Even hot bad guys with emotionally damaged god complexes.

He realized how much of an idiot he was after that pirate fight weeks ago. When Zuko told Sokka himself he was going to kill him at Kyoshi Island. Who says that to a guy that just saved their _life_ the last time they saw each other?

No gratitude, no hope. Just blatant hate. 

Coming close to the side of the cave, Sokka knew there was no going back.

One thing he knew for certain, Zuko was ruthless. 

So thinking about him conjures him, clearly, because next thing you know Sokka was tackled face down into the thick snow.

So much for being alert.

He fought for air, fought against the weight toppling him, but it was just as desperate as him.

There was a grunt and he heard, “You came alone.” The tone was humorous. “Thank you for making this easy.”

“Oh I’ll kick your ass, no bending needed.” Sokka used all the strength a person being pinned down could possibly muster to roll himself over, using his legs to pin down Zuko’s arms. It was a pretty.. warm position. He punched him in the jaw, hoping to wind him before the fire came.

“I just want you to know,” Sokka puffed as he managed to get another swing in, “I hate you.”

This time, Zuko ducked so it wasn’t that good of a punch. A short blast of fire and Sokka shrieked at the burning sensation spreading over his arm. Zuko was pulling him from the back of his shirt. “Don’t worry, I have extra rope.”

It was certainly a struggle but the threat of fire was enough to calm Sokka down. It was times like this he really stressed about not being a bender. It left him almost powerless. His boomerang was great, reliable and all, but it wasn’t the same as what it could be.

Sokka allowed himself to be tied up, quieting up as well. 

Zuko, tying the last of the many knots over Sokka, looked over him with slight curiosity.

“What,” Sokka started, figuring it really didn’t matter at this point. Fate with her games and all. “Why are you tying me up? I thought you wanted to kill me.”

Zuko met his eyes, unwavering, “Would you like me to?”

“I thought it was part of your big ol’ plan.” Sokka mocked, raising an eyebrow. He was dragged into the cave with Aang in no time. At least there was a toasty fire close by. As long as the flames stayed where they were. 

He was playing too cool but he figured, if Zuko decided not to kill him, Aang would eventually wake up anyway and figure a way out. He was the Avatar, after all.

“You’re not important enough to kill.”

Ouch.

“Seems like you’re so unimportant, your own nation doesn’t want you.”

Zuko’s eyes flared at that. He marched over to Sokka, unbearably close actually because there it was again - the scent of ash and cinnamon. Zuko wrapped a single hand around Sokka’s neck, squeezing harder as the seconds passed.

“Okay, okay, okay.” Sokka rambled, deciding he liked his life(Aang _wake up_ ). “You’re important.” Sokka murmured, daring to look up at him.

Zuko was examining him in a weird numbing way.

“It’s nothing you would understand.” Zuko said, hauntedly.

“Of course. I’m a peasant, I remember.”

Suddenly Sokka could breathe again. Zuko’s hand was off his neck and the scent of ash and cinnamon was gone.

“I have a sister,” Zuko started. Sokka sat up against the wall that was surprisingly smooth. He eyed him standing at the mouth of the cave, staring out into the blizzard.

“She’s a firebending prodigy,” he continued, “and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don’t need luck, though. I don’t want it. I’ve always had to struggle and fight and that’s made me strong. It’s made me who I am.”

It was strange to see Zuko speaking in a way that wasn’t any form of yelling. 

Sokka didn’t know why he was telling him all this. 

“You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, y’know?” Sokka said after a few seconds of silence. “Besides, you’re kind of on the wrong side, either way. The side of _evil_.”

“You act as if I have a choice. My duty is to capture the Avatar, then I’ll be able to go home and reclaim what I lost. Is it so wrong to want to go home, Sokka?” He asked, turning around swiftly. Sokka’s head whipped up, meeting those golden eyes in an instant.

What game was Zuko playing? He was certainly hosting a nice pity party.

“Hey, how do you know a peasant’s name, anyway?”

“I pay attention.” Zuko answered promptly.

The way he said his name made Sokka feel so weird inside. Then again, Zuko’s voice has always been annoying and unnecessarily hot. But he’d never say that out loud.

After that, there was a long stretch of silence. Being bound as a hostage didn’t bring out the friendliness in anyone.

It was a small cave and Aang was deep into the spirit world. Sokka knew this because of the way he kept moving his lips. Aang was talking to someone or something on the other side. He was figuring things out. 

Meanwhile, Sokka was busy being the Fire Prince’s prisoner until Aang woke up, which he desperately hoped happened before they left this cave.

Whatever was waiting for them after this couldn’t be good.

His arms were a little numb under all the rope. Damn, he had to admit, it was some good quality rope. He tried to stretch the best he could, regardless.

At least, each time he went into panic mode again he was comforted by the sight of a sleeping Aang. Anytime soon. Anytime.

Looking at the small fire centered inside, he saw Zuko take a seat right in front of it after some time, hovering his hands along the rim of the flames. The fire grew, sparks crackling through the air. It made Sokka think of cooking, which led him to another thought: food. And then his stomach let out the loudest rumble, he was sure Zuko heard it crystal clear.

“Y’know, as your prisoner the least you can do is feed me.”

He was met with silence. Sokka rolled his eyes. 

How was he supposed to survive being a prisoner if he couldn’t get even the slightest bit of sustenance?

“C’mon, Zuko, I need something. Anything. Please?” He groaned. 

“You can wait.”

“Oh spirits, screw you!” He hissed, really annoyed he couldn’t storm off. “Fine.” Sokka said simply, getting an idea. “I could just...annoy you until you feed me. Would you prefer a song or a poem? Maybe a nice story?” 

“What if I told you I had no food. Would that shut you up?”

“What if I told you I don’t believe you?”

Silence.

“Once upon a time,” Sokka began, “There was an angry prince that could bend fire. Nobody seemed to like him because of how much of a _jerk_ he could be. He could have friends but he prefers evil. One day -”

“ _Enough_.” Zuko gritted through his teeth. It was kind of funny. For a moment, the air felt light, despite being tied up.

Sokka watched the Fire Prince stand up, stepping away from the fire. He crossed the cave where he picked up a small black pouch. Opening it, he reached in and plucked out an apple. 

Zuko held it up in front of Sokka’s face.

“Will this buy your silence?”

“A thick steak and a back rub would buy my silence, since you’re interested.” Sokka jokes, lifting an eyebrow. He made himself sick, truthfully. “Say I do want it. Can I have my hands back to eat it properly?”

Zuko narrowed his eyes. He responded by sitting himself next to Sokka and placing the apple in his mouth. “Bite.” He ordered.

Sokka was about to protest this, he was. But before he could, his teeth were sinking in and, _spirits_ , fruit has never tasted so good. Four big bites later his chewing slowed a bit, his stomach already feeling significantly better. 

“Did you want the other half?” Sokka asked, a line of apple juice running down his chin.

“Absolutely not.”

“Understandable. Sorry I took your apple”

“Sorry I tied you up.”

Sokka's face scrunched in confusion, “No, you’re not.”

“You’re right, I’m not.”

Surprisingly, if he wasn’t mistaken, he saw the corner of Zuko’s mouth curl up in amusement. 

Taking a second, Sokka glanced over his scar, what he could see of it in the cave. His brain processed this as an opportunity to try something.

“There’s still time, you know?” Sokka expressed, “You don’t have to do this.”

Immediate trigger because Zuko stood up, walked away from him and tossed the apple to the corner as he did so.

“Oh, come on.” Sokka whined. “Not necessary.” He mumbled.

“This is my destiny -”

“Your destiny is to grovel for acceptance from people that don’t even like you?”

“You have _no_ idea what you’re talking about. So, I suggest you think before uttering another word.”

“I’m just saying. Aang will win either way. With you on the right side or not. I’m just trying to offer you something different.”

“Offer me? What could you possibly have to offer me?”

“Being a peasant and all? Right.” Sokka remembered, flushing with regret at even trying to be nice again. 

“Two different worlds.”

“No, Zuko. There’s only one world, there’s only right and wrong. Love and hate.”

“You’re starting to sound like my Uncle.”

“He sounds like a wise man.”

“He is.”

“So?”

“So, _what_?” Zuko demanded, tone altering entirely. Hostile once more. “You think it’s _so_ easy. This is my family, my honor. Something you know nothing about. I will fight for it!” He yelled. Zuko was closer now, pacing over in desperation. He grabbed Sokka by the front of his shirt and pulled him in. “I will bring the Avatar home, I will restore my honor and-”

“Win daddy’s love back?”

Zuko cried out in anger, shoving Sokka away, causing him and all the rope holding him together to roll, stopping when he hit the cave wall with a thud.

“What would _you_ know about love?” Zuko spat, accusingly.

Sokka groaned at the pain of being immobile for a while then having his body thrown. Closing his eyes for a second, he saw Princess Yue floating in his mind, kissing him again as she had so passionately before. It was over as quickly as it came. Sokka had no chance from the beginning. Zuko was right. What _did_ he know about love?

“At least I’m not a vile, hateful prince that only chooses himself.”

Zuko inhaled. 

Sokka realized their eyes were locked on one another. Zuko’s good eye was large and gold, challenging. His scarred eye was smaller but still managed to glimmer brightly. Beautifully. Sokka swallowed through a dry throat. 

“I suppose we’ll see where we stand, in the end. Water tribe boy.” 

Oh. They were back to the basics.

Their eye contact stayed unwavered until they heard a rustling on the ground.

_Aang_.

“Welcome back.” Zuko taunted. Sokka always questioned how confident Zuko could be challenging the Avatar as if Aang wasn’t some deep magical untouchable energy. As if Aang hasn’t taken him down every time they’ve fought.

Aang narrowed his eyes, taking note of the rope holding him together. “Good to be back.”

“Oh. Aang. Buddy. I thought you’d never wake up.” Sokka smiled, knowing they’d make it out. 

It only took a second. Aang blew a powerful gust of wind Zuko’s way, blowing the prince against the nearest wall and shooting Aang out of the mouth of the cave and into the icy desert.

Aang knew he only had a few seconds on him, hopping through the snow. He spotted Appa and cracked the biggest smile. 

“Appa!” He yelled happily, earning a low grunt from the bison.

“Appa, I need you to bite through these ropes, buddy. Just don’t bite me, okay!”

Aang positioned the ropes tying his arms together as close as he could toward Appa’s mouth. 

Oh, how he loved him.

“Hey! It won’t be that easy.”

Except with Zuko, it sort of always was.

Aang's hands were free now. With the strongest gust of air he could muster, he used it to rip through his leg ties, releasing him completely. He waterbent the ice to blow Zuko unconscious. It was a deep blue night and Aang had to get back before it was too late.

Quickly freeing Sokka as well, they ran as fast as they could and hopped on Appa.

“We need to get to the oasis!” Aang yelled, “The spirits are in trouble.”

Sokka couldn’t help but stare at the limp body lying in the snow as he climbed onto the bison. It was a nasty blizzard and there was nothing out here to survive. He felt his heart pull and was mad about it, forcing himself to look forward.

“Wait,” he heard Aang say, “We can’t just leave him here.”

“Sure we can. Let’s go.”

“No. If we leave him here, he’ll die.”

“That’s a bad thing?” Sokka asked, voice tainted in sarcasm.

“Didn’t you just save his life not too long ago?” Aang reminded him, hopping down with the loose rope in his hand.

“I may or may not regret that.”

“We both know you don’t.” Aang said as they tied Zuko together with the broken rope. 

That quieted Sokka real quick. 

It was a short trip with Appa. Aang sat in the front, leaving Sokka in the back to watch Zuko. Looking at him knocked out like this, he could pass for a peaceful young man, down for a rest. Unfortunately, Sokka knew the reality.

Arriving back to the ancient pond of the spirits, they saw the party started without them. 

Right as they landed, the sky went completely red. Zhao had scooped the fish moon spirit up. 

Katara was there with Princess Yue by her side, making Sokka double take.

_What was she doing here? In the middle of everything?_

Aang and Sokka jumped to the girls’ side, leaving Zuko seemingly napping on Appa.

Then, they were all listening to Iroh threaten Zhao about the moon spirit.

“The Fire Nation needs the moon to survive as well. Whatever you do to that spirit, I will unleash on you tenfold!”

This was Zuko’s Uncle.

Zhao tricked them, releasing the moon spirit fish back into the pond before slashing it dead with a sharp blast of fire.

Iroh immediately ran into the soldiers, bringing them down effortlessly. 

It was too late.

Zhao hid and ran off, leaving Iroh and the rest of them surrounding the pond. Iroh plucked the dead fish out.

“There’s no hope now. It’s over.” Princess Yue’s voice came clear and close behind him. He looked at her with large eyes.

“No.” Aang said suddenly, eyes glowing, “It’s not over.” Walking into the middle of the pond, he channeled the ocean spirit through the Avatar state, becoming a glowing blue water giant.

They all watched in awe of the Avatar.

“You,” Iroh said suddenly, looking at Princess Yue with a wild expression. “Everyone knows your famous story with the moon spirit. She graced you at birth during sickness, allowing you to live. You have been touched by the moon spirit. Some of its life lives within you.”

“Yes.” She inhaled softly. “Yes. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back.”

Sokka begged her not to but it was a destiny he had no control over. She kissed him, making sure before she left that he knew she would always be with him.

He will not lie and say he didn’t stand there with tears streaming down his face as he saw her apparition as the new moon spirit, gracing the sky with the softest moonlight he’s ever seen. He dropped to his knees and sobbed, feeling his sister’s hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t fair.

It wasn’t until after all of this Sokka noticed Appa’s saddle was empty.

~

Zuko had slipped off the bison from the back, making sure no one had seen him and ran.

One of the boys was not good at tying because he managed to slip a hand out, burning the ropes off. It wasn’t long before he found Zhao, alone. He threw fireballs, fireblades, all the new moves Uncle taught him. He brought a good fight and Zhao looked tired. Zuko was more than tired.

Fate came in the shape of a giant blue spirit monster that plucked Zhao up from right where he stood. Zuko offered a hand. Zhao decided death was better than accepting Zuko’s help.

“I’m surprised, Prince Zuko.” His Uncle started as they floated on a driftwood through the sea, “surprised that at this moment you are not trying to capture the Avatar.”

“I’m tired.” Zuko answered simply.

His Uncle’s soft, large hand landed on his shoulder, “Then you should rest. A man needs his rest.”

Zuko’s body softened after hearing that. He allowed himself to lay back on the wood and close his eyes.  
  


He failed. Again. 

Yes, he was angry knowing the Avatar had slipped through his fingers but truthfully, he was more exhausted than anything.

Before drifting off, Zuko began to think of Aang and how he needed to train harder because Aang was stronger every time they saw each other. A twelve year old...outsmarting him every time. His mind subconsciously trailed off to the image of Sokka biting the apple from his hand. It was a dumb thing to do, feed him like that. Sokka could have survived without it. There was an odd sensation in Zuko’s chest as he did it, he supposed being that close was the answer, something unnatural to him.

_“Did you want the other half?” Sokka asked, a line of apple juice running down his chin._

_“Absolutely not.”_

_“Understandable. Sorry I took your apple”_

_“Sorry I tied you up.”_

_Sokka's face scrunched in confusion, “No, you’re not.”_

_“You’re right, I’m not.”_

Zuko had tried his best not to smile but it felt almost impossible. He hated Sokka for that.

_“There’s still time, you know?” Sokka expressed, “You don’t have to do this.”_

There was the funny part. This Southern Water Tribe boy talking to him as if he knew him. As if they were even remotely alike. 

_“At least I’m not a vile, hateful prince that only chooses himself.”_

Now, there, he wasn’t wrong. 

Iroh watched Zuko’s lips twitch, knowing his nephew had crossed the divide. He would finally get some rest.

Zuko felt his consciousness slipping away from him but before it was gone entirely he heard the voice again, _“I’m just trying to offer you something different.”_

Different doesn’t exist for Zuko.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know :)


End file.
